Wijnaldum must be axed v Fulham

The Champions League clash with Red Star Belgrade was one many fans were expecting Liverpool to win by an easy margin.

However, that could not be further from the truth, as the Reds went on to lose 2-0 and potentially compromise their qualification from the group.

One player at the centre of this failure is midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, who did not manage to muster up a single tackle in the first half of the clash.

The 27-year-old looked lost in the centre of the midfield alongside the likes of James Milner and Adam Lallana, and for this reason, Jurgen Klopp must not be afraid to wield the axe on the first teamer.

He was largely ineffective and was completely anonymous in the first half of the match, which was mainly down to the fact that he was bullied and brushed off by goalscorer Pavkov.

He cannot be brushed aside too easily in these types of matches, and it was his display that has somewhat hindered the Reds’ qualification hopes.

Yes, the Dutchman has been reliable for Klopp in the Premier League so far, with the manager rewarding him for his efforts – but at the moment, this loyalty is costing Liverpool some serious points.

Surely a manager like Klopp recognises that the £90,000-a-week [Spotrac] player must do better?

It would be seriously concerning if he continued to start Wijnaldum like nothing had happened on Tuesday evening, even if he did improve that little bit in the second half.

The German brought along the likes of Fabinho and Naby Keita, so why didn’t he start them instead? After all, their energy levels would have been a lot higher after missing the game with Arsenal.

Wiljnaldum must now be on the chopping block after this encounter – or Klopp will surely face the wrath of the Liverpool fans if he does not.